Naseeruddin says he regrets not having worked with Ray

Kolkata: Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah has revealed that his lifetime regret remains not having worked with acclaimed filmmaker Satyajit Ray, who had appreciated his performance in Ketan Mehta's 'Mirch Masala'.

Naseeruddin, who plays a butcher in upcoming Bengali film 'Khasi Katha', says, "So many times I had wished to write a letter to Satyajit Ray requesting a role, but I did not muster the courage.

"Now I regret why I didn't. A film by Ray never happened to me," said Naseeruddin, who has starred in films like 'A Wednesday', 'Sarfarosh', 'Monsoon Wedding' and 'Iqbal'.

"I had met Manikda when I was a 22-year old NSD student watching Bergman's 'Silence' at Max Mueller Bhavan when he sat before me and I remember I could not watch the film properly. How can you with the 'Pather Panchali' maker sitting in your front row?" Naseeruddin said.

"I had first bumped into him at the age of 12 and remember I mistook him as a police officer wearing a starched uniform and cap," he recalled.

Naseeruddin, who has starred in Ribhu Dasgupta's yet unreleased film 'Michael' two years ago, says the comfort level with long time friend-director Judhajit Sarkar matters besides the story line of 'Khasi Katha'.

"I haven't yet seen the film, but I have expectations from my shooting experience," he says.

Naseeruddin plays a butcher about to slaughter a 'khasi' or a goat when the animal pleads for its life and turns into a chronicler of events.

"Khasi is the human conscience which mirrors our self. It also narrates the story of underdogs, including a female boxer."

In the film Naseeruddin talks with the animated version of the goat with the voice over done by popular Bengali comedian and character actor Kanchon Mallick.